New audio artworks at NYC subway stations seek to break routine and connect commuters

New audio artworks on the New York City subway aim to add connections to the daily rhythm of commutes. Conceived by conceptual artist and New Yorker Chloë Bass, “If you hear something, free something” is a play on the familiar announcement and reconsiders the role of public address, providing riders a fleeting moment of connection. Through October 5, riders at 14 subway stations will hear 24 poetic announcements in six languages—the first time the MTA has turned over its broadcast system to an artist.

The sounds of the city shape our quality of life, influencing both the nervous system and willingness to engage in shared experiences or help strangers. Bass’ work seeks to move beyond courtesy to promote connection, riffing on two famous public information slogans: “If You See Something, Say Something” and “Courtesy Counts.”

During the Cold War, emergency broadcast systems alerted citizens to geopolitical threats. After 9/11, campaigns across New York urged heightened awareness of neighbors and surroundings. “If you hear something, free something” builds on this history, underscoring the MTA’s role as a key site of public address.

Presented by Creative Time in partnership with MTA Arts & Design, the announcements play intermittently in station mezzanines in English, Spanish, Arabic, Bangla, Haitian Kreyòl, and Mandarin, reaching thousands of riders each day. American Sign Language translations will be available on Creative Time’s website.

Each recording begins with a custom tone created by Bass in collaboration with artist Jeremy Toussaint-Baptiste, followed by one of 24 announcements voiced by professional performers and New Yorkers.

For each announcement, Bass gathered diverse focus groups of daily transit riders—including teens, advocates, and MTA workers—to explore which sounds and stories might be familiar or create a sense of peace.

“We’re used to thinking of certain conditions as given, when they’re actually a product of design,” Bass said.

“‘If you hear something, free something’ offers one opportunity to feel how a system might be different, or introduce us to other possibilities, if it were designed with a more open emotional mindset. It’s not just about the announcements. It’s about the ways we feel together in public space.”

The sonic art can be heard at the following stations:

• Manhattan: Fulton Street (4,5), 14th Street-Union Square (4,5,6), 42nd Street-Bryant Park/5th Avenue (7), Grand Central-42nd Street (S), 163rd Street-Amsterdam Avenue (A,C)
• Queens: Court Square (7, G), 74th Street-Broadway (7), Mets-Willets Point (7)
• Brooklyn: Clinton-Washington Avenues (G), Fort Hamilton Parkway (F, G), York Street (F), Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center (2,3,4,5)
• The Bronx: 167th Street (B, D), Westchester Square-East Tremont Avenue (6)

Stations were chosen for their sound systems and layouts, with priority given to sites that allow riders room to listen, walk, and reflect, according to Gothamist.

“The MTA serves millions of New York City residents daily, spanning every single neighborhood and social boundary,” Diya Vij, curator at Creative Time, said.

“It is where every denomination of New York City meets. For this truly public art work, Bass offers a monumental but fleeting gesture that seeks to change the way we relate to each other in public life and public space. She asks us to consider, if we change what we hear, can we change how we feel, and in turn, will we be better neighbors?”

On Wednesday, the project launched with a live performance at the Fulton Center atrium, where Bass gathered ten performers to present all 24 announcements in a single context. Four of them had also taken part in the original recordings.

RELATED:

Interested in similar content?